Harmony in Habitats: Unveiling the Conservation Insights Through MaxEnt Modeling of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal in Uttarakhand

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, a pivotal perennial plant with extensive therapeutic applications in traditional and modern medicine was investigated for its potential distribution in Uttarakhand, India. Employing WorldClim bioclimatic variables such as slope, aspect and elevation (derived from a Digital Elevation Model), and spatially dispersed species occurrence points, the study predicted the potential distribution within the 53,483 km2 study area. The highly suitable habitat covered 8,557.7 km2. Key environmental variables such as annual mean temperature (bio1), mean temperature of the warmest quarter (bio10), precipitation of the wettest month (bio13), precipitation of the wettest quarter (bio16), mean temperature of the wettest quarter (bio8), and elevation significantly influenced the species distribution. This insight is crucial for understanding habitat suitability, with 16% highly suitable, 32% suitable, 22% moderately suitable, and 30% least suitable. The study underscores the importance of considering multiple environmental variables for accurate species distribution predictions. The Jackknife test assessed the importance of these variables, revealing a highly accurate Maxent model with a statistically significant AUC value of 0.89. The study identified districts such as Dehradun, Udham Singh Nagar, lower elevations of Chamoli and Pauri have about 60% cultivation potential. The results have implications for species restoration, conservation planning, and localization of W. somnifera. The findings have relevance in species restoration, conservation planning, and localization of W. somnifera. This comprehensive approach holds promise for predicting the potential distribution of medicinal plant species, providing valuable ecological insights and aiding in conservation planning and medicinal applications of W. somnifera in Uttarakhand.